Christmas Eve Encounters
by write2breathe
Summary: NXYZ Christmas Fic exchange. On Christmas Eve Kirihara, Sanada, and Tezuka each meet a girl by pure coincidence and suddenly everything seems brighter. For my friend Estactic Pentenshi.
1. Akaya pt 1

NXYZ Community Christmas Fic Exchange

Title: Christmas Eve Encounters

Written for: Estactic Pentenshi

Special Message: Merry Christmas to one of my favorite people!

Pairings/Genres/Rating: AkayaxOC/Friendship/K

Beta: Sadistic Soldier

A/N: This is the first installment of three stories for my wonderful friend EP! As much as I hate favoritism (HA!) this is my favorite of the three, so please enjoy!

Everyone left him behind again. All of his friends and teammates were busy with something or the other and he was left with, what, an empty house for the night while his mother visited his sister and brother-in-law's family and his dad was stationed in another country. Perfect if he wanted solitary, but today was Christmas Eve and the last thing he wanted was to be alone for most of the holiday tomorrow.

He would've invited the whole team over to his empty house for a celebration, but everyone had other plans. Buchou was visiting family in another part of Japan, Sanada had the dojo to run, Yanagi was vacationing in Europe, Yagyuu and Niou were spending their time together, Marui was staying home to watch over his two younger brothers, and Jackal wasn't fun to be around with alone.

Kirihara Akaya was all alone for this joyous holiday season.

However, that did not deter him from going into town to shop for Christmas gifts for his family and teammates. Even if he wouldn't see any of them for another day or so, he wanted to be sure that they knew how honored he felt to be a part of the family, both blood and tennis team respectively.

After a full day of shopping, Akaya decided to rest from the blistering cold in a small family-owned restaurant near the train station. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and he didn't feel like braving the storm with all of his belongings. The journey to his house on a good day was about a forty minute walk, but in this weather it could take nearly three times as long.

Entering the small restaurant known as Kajimahara Sushi, Akaya was embraced with a strong current of warm air. Eyes surveyed the building; he could see that while the eatery was decent in space while the décor gave him the sense of home. Dressed in the holiday fashion, the restaurant was playing Christmas music lowly in the background.

After quickly scanning the sign telling him to seat himself, Akaya continued to assess the customers. A few couples lingered about, as well as an old man at the bar, but only one individual captured his attention. The girl was seated alone in a booth that faced the door, but had two plates set in front of her. There was no indication that another individual was there, so he summed it up to a girl waiting for her date to arrive.

Two waitresses emerged from the kitchen; one with a plate of tempura and the other with a menu. Both were chattering away happily before having to part to take care of their respective duties. The one with the menu stopped in front of his booth and smiled at him as she handed over the menu. Not bothering to catch her name, he simply glanced over the menu once before ordering some tea and a shrimp roll.

Since the restaurant wasn't busy his order was out not five minutes later. Akaya made sure to drink his tea slowly to savor the warmth and taste. Shedding his snow-covered jacket, he realized for the first time that he had never been alone for any holiday. There had always been a family member or a teammate for him to spend time with. Just last year Niou hosted a holiday party at his mansion and they all had traded gifts. He wondered if any of them had bought gifts to hand out as well.

His concentration broke as the two friendly waitresses chattered in the booth behind him. He mused over the fact that there were still people in the restaurant to take of, but they were neglecting their duties. Sanada would've slapped him if he were slacking off, so why should anyone else be able to?

Their conversation pulled him in as he chewed on the shrimp roll.

"She's been coming here for five years now," one woman said.

"Every year?" The waitress that had taken his order asked.

"Mmhmm," her friend replied. "She sits at that same booth every day for a week before Christmas."

"What does she do that for?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's waiting for someone, but it's pathetic to wait _that_ long," her friend sneered.

The two didn't get a chance to continue since the door chimed, signaling the arrival of another customer. With a few quick goodbyes, Akaya was once again left to eat in silence. He replayed the short conversation in his head a few times and became angry. The waitress called the girl pathetic, but he saw her as optimistic. If anything, Akaya would've said that the waitress was pathetic for saying such a lowly thing about someone she didn't know.

After removing the black knit hat from his wild hair, Akaya stood up with his belongings and bags to move over to the booth the girl was in. He steeled his resolve to confront the girl, but once he reached her table all sense flew out the window. All he did was stand there awkwardly for a couple minutes before the girl looked up from her book.

"Merry Christmas," she greeted him happily, with no signs of discomfort or weariness, and gave him a bright smile. Her clear gray eyes crinkled lightly at the ends since she was happy to have someone to talk to.

"Uh… yeah, Merry Christmas," Akaya managed to mutter in response. He lost track of why he came over here in the first place. He shouldn't have bothered the girl if she was so content by herself, but this thought diminished when he could clearly see that she desperately wanted company.

"You can sit down," the girl offered politely and Akaya, albeit a bit hesitant at first, took the seat across from her.

Now that he was up close he could see that the girl was a couple years younger than him. Her face still had the roundness on her cheeks, eyes a little wider with innocence, and a heart-shaped face with long midnight black hair that framed it nicely. He could definitely say that she was cute.He coughed a bit as the thought crossed his mind – the thought making him feel like a pedophile which made him blush a bit (though unnoticeably), before she caught his attention.

"I expect that you want to know why I'm here by myself," she stated clearly, obviously thinking that his intentions to converse with her were to find out information like everyone else.Her eyes lowered, the brightness they held before now dimming.

"Well, you can tell me if you want, but I came over since you looked lonely," he explained sheepishly, not yet comfortable with the unknown girl.

Her eyes widened as she gave a look of surprise before covering it up with a gentle smile. "That was very kind of you…" she trailed off, not knowing the boy's name.

"Kirihara Akaya," he supplied.

Her smile widened a bit more as she tried out his name, "Akaya-kun."

Akaya blush lightly at the sound of his first name coming out of the lips of the young girl in front of him. He wasn't sure what to make of the girl yet, but he figured that she was still young enough to call him something that affectionate.

"Would you like some tea?" She offered him, breaking him out of his stupor. He nodded dumbly in response, but gave her a quick smile to cover it up.

She giggled before introducing herself, "My name is Doshida Risa, but you can call me Risa."

"Alright, Risa-chan," he didn't waste a minute to try out her name and as he said it, he began to reclaim his confidence, "what are you doing out here all alone on Christmas Eve?"

Her eyes gave a look of pain, but she quickly masked that with a look of longing. She reached for her heavy winter jacket next to her and removed it to show him a delicately wrapped present. Placing the present on the table, her eyes changed to a look of sorrow.

"I come to this restaurant, because my big brother loved to take me here. He left five years ago to go to America and said that he would return for Christmas. Without saying what day he would return, I began to wait here nearly all day for a week for him to return. Since this place is near the train station I thought that I wouldn't be able to miss him, but…" she trailed off, looking sadly at the smooth red paper that held her gift intact.

"He never came back, did he?" Akaya guessed, since she looked as if she was about to cry.

"That's right. He hasn't even called in those five years, but" she paused to look up at him with determination in her eyes. "I believe that one year he'll come back. I just know it."

Akaya scrunched up his hair in thoughtfulness, his mind going over what the girl said. What should he say to the determined girl? Her brother hasn't sent word for _five years_, but…

"It's good to not give up, Risa-chan, but I don't think spending a week in here by yourself is a good idea," he said before glancing over his shoulder to look out the window. "Why don't I walk you home since the weather let up?"

He noticed the way her eyes brightened when he said that, though there was still some sadness lingering. She smiled gratefully at him. "That would be very nice Akaya-kun," she agreed before setting down the money she owed for the meal. He did the same before leading her out the restaurant door.

They started walking together, looking at the sceneries they were passing by, and most of all, the purity of the whiteness surrounding them.

"So, Akaya-kun, what're you doing by yourself on Christmas Eve?" Risa asked, she feels marginally happier since Akaya came to talk with her.

He grinned at her and gestured to the bags he was carrying. "I was out shopping for my family and teammates."

Her face scrunched up in a cute pout, her head tilting to look at him clearly. "Teammates?" She questioned.

"Aa, my tennis teammates. I'm a Regular at Rikkai Dai High," he told her while watching the traffic up ahead.

"Oh? You must be really good then! I don't play any sports," she told him sadly, but curiosity taking most of it away. "Would you mind if I came to one of your games?" She asked politely.

Akaya's eyebrows shot up. "Why... why would you want to see my game? I'm not all that great compared to some of my other teammates," he explained.

"I don't mind. You sound like a great person, Akaya-kun. Much like my older brother," she replied.

Akaya smiled softly as she skipped ahead of him. So, he reminded her of her brother. How interesting.

"You can come if you'd like, but there won't be any more tournaments until spring," he complied.

She stopped a bit before looking back at him, grinning happily. "That's okay! I can wait. Thanks!"

They continued talking on the way, Akaya wondering just how natural it was for him to talk to a girl he just met a few hours ago.

Not too much later they reached her house and Akaya realized that they were only a street away from his own. Risa talked mindlessly about school, her friends, but mostly her brother.

"You remind me of him, you know," she told him as they reached her front door.

He smiled down at the petite girl. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she suddenly took a serious face. "It is. _My brother's the best, you know?"_ Akaya chuckled a bit, amused at how defensive Risa was of her brother. He was about to give her a reply to what she said before he noticed that she paused in front of the door. She frowned at the door in concentration for a good minute before turning back to him, changing the subject completely. "Would you like to come over for Christmas tomorrow?"

To say Akaya was shocked would only begin to cover his surprise. He didn't expect that to happen. At all. "But, your parents-"

She giggled, interrupting him. "They won't mind. They love having my friends over and I'm sure they'd be happy to have you. You don't have anywhere else to be right?" She asked, making sure that Akaya didn't have any other plans since she knew that his family and teammates were preoccupied.

Akaya bent down on one knee and hugged the young girl. "I'd be happy to Risa-chan," he accepted before releasing her, noticing how a sprinkle of pink dusted her cheeks.

Her grin spread and her eyes were filled with happiness. "Great! Be here by nine and, Akaya-kun," she said while thrusting forward the gift for her brother, "Merry Christmas."

Once again, he was caught off guard by the girl. He accepted the gift and watched her skip happily into her house. Curious, he opened the box to reveal homemade holiday delicacies. Akaya realized that she must've made new ones every year for her brother and was touched that she gave her hard work to him.

Smiling, Akaya made his way home to wrap up the gifts and spend the night playing Tekken while munching on the treats his new friend gave him. His thoughts lingered on the little girl who made his day worth it.


	2. Akaya pt 2

Part Two of Akaya and Risa Christmas Special

For Static

Akaya felt a wave of familiarity as this Christmas drew nearer and he was, once again, left all alone. His parents were on a vacation in America, visiting relatives, while his sister was busy fussing over the new baby with his brother-in-law. He had been invited to spend Christmas with them, but had declined upon hearing the newborn scream with such an intense howl through the phone.

Even his teammates were busy again this year. Yukimura managed to convince Sanada to take a vacation from the dojo and spend Christmas with him at his family's house in Southern Japan. Yanagi was preparing for the university spring courses during the break while studying with Inui from Seishun. Yagyuu's father had returned from his long-term assignment, so Yagyuu declined his invitation for a hangout. Niou tricked Marui into signing up for a study-abroad program over the break with him, so they were already out somewhere in the world. Even Jackal had plans for Christmas Eve and Day.

When Akaya thought about what happened the last time he was alone for Christmas, a bright smile came to mind.

Risa-chan.

The last time he had been alone for Christmas was a couple years ago when he had met Risa. She had been sitting alone in that booth for hours, waiting for her special person who wouldn't show up. The loneliness in her heart would only show itself to Akaya as he had opened his heart to her. If he wasn't mistaken, he had spent all of Christmas Day at her house playing video games and snacking.

That was years ago. Akaya and Risa hadn't been talking as much lately, because of his hard university courses and her first year of high school. He vaguely remembered a conversation during the beginning of the fall term in which she told him that she had joined a couple of clubs, but he failed to remember which ones. He hoped she was doing well since they haven't spoken in over three months.

Realizing that Christmas would be the perfect time to reconnect with her, Akaya found something to do with his day. Making the trip from his apartment to downtown Tokyo, Akaya searched store after store for the perfect gift for Risa. Sure, he had been over to her house many times and exchanged gifts with her the year after his first Christmas with her, but this present would be nothing like those. It would have to be perfect since Risa has always been a kind and loving friend.

He checked through department stores, but they only had one item that caught his attention. Earmuffs were childish and a very impersonal gift, he decided. Even if they were cute and fit her personality nicely they weren't a gift he could give to a special friend like her.

Akaya then entered several jewelry stores, but everything he found was too expensive. Those pieces of jewelry were gifts that a man would give to a lover, not a special girl like Risa.

Frustrated, Akaya took a break at the food court in the central mall and re-energized his batteries with a soothing strawberry smoothie. From his place at the table he could see every person walking into and out of the court. Many people came with children, some in groups of four or more, but every once in awhile a couple would enter and Akaya's eyes seemed to follow them.

It was only a few months ago that he had ended his five-month relationship with Tachibana An. He had known the girl since his middle school days, but when he saw her around campus he decided to give a relationship a shot. It had started out rocky, but they managed to smooth everything out. Even her brother, Kippei, supported their relationship after everything that had transpired during middle school. Things went slow and easy, but something about that unsettled him. He felt empty when he was with An. There wasn't any emotion or passion with her like he thought there would be. When he decided to end it she felt hurt, but understood why. There just wasn't anything connecting them.

When a group of loud middle school students passed by his table Akaya's eyes snapped to a lone figure who sat towards the far right of the room by herself. With her back to him, he could scrutinize the sheet of midnight hair that fell around her shoulders. On the right shoulder was a strap and his eyes followed the strap to find a large, familiar-shaped bag attached to it. The words on the bag read Rikkai Dai High.

His eyes widened in surprise that the girl attended the same high school he did, played tennis just like he did, and looked so familiar. Akaya longed for the girl to turn around, just so he could see her face. Perhaps he just wanted this girl to be Risa, because he had been thinking about her a lot lately, just as he usually does around this time of year. He wasn't about to make a fool out of himself for approaching some girl who may or may not be his Risa.

An idea for the perfect present for Risa popped into his mind as he studied the girl in front of him. He thought of a plan to engage her in a conversation if she really was his Risa and quickly went off to purchase the gift he had initially passed up hours before.

Returning nearly an hour later, Akaya was worried that he had missed his chance and would have to make a special trip to her house to confront her. Finding her sitting at the same table that she was in when he left, he put his plan into action. Walking around the food court, he passed directly to the right of her table and watched her out of the corner of his left eye. She saw his movement and turned to look at him in surprise.

"Akaya-kun!"

He stopped walking at the sound of her voice and pretended to look surprised at meeting her in the food court.

"Risa-chan!"

Her smile widened in delight as she took in his presence. "What are you doing here? Don't you college boys usually party during the holidays?" Her light teasing made his heart feel lighter. Maybe she understood that he wasn't ignoring her; only busy.

"Hey now, my wild hair doesn't speak for me." She giggled at his playful response and asked him again what he was up to. "Just shopping around and maybe playing some tennis later."

Her face lit up and her eyes sparked with interest at his plans. "I'm on the tennis team at Rikkai Dai. Maybe we could play a game?"

Akaya feigned surprise again. "You're on the tennis team? Since when did you play tennis?" Genuine curiosity overcame him and he just had to know... why tennis?

She gestured to the empty seat in front of him and he gladly accepted the offer.

"It was a few years ago. A friend got me into it and I found that I really love the sport. Tennis is fun, ne?" She cocked her head to the side in a childish manner and Akaya couldn't help but observe the differences in her appearance from that of years ago. Her heart-shaped face had an edge to it now compared to the light fat she used to carry. Her gray eyes were sharper, but retained that happiness and warm feeling that he had missed. Everything about her had changed, but yet they were so familiar to him. Cell phones didn't do her voice justice as words spilled from her delicate pink lips.

"Akaya-kun, are you alright?" She asked concernedly, leaning over the table to place a cool hand on his forehead.

"I-I-I'm alright, Risa! I promise!" He stuttered quickly, his face burning up from his thoughts moments ago. He mentally chastised himself for thinking those indecent thoughts about Risa.

Risa frowned and set her mouth in a cute pout. It reminded him of all those years ago when she would be thinking deeply about something and then she'd completely change the subject. Maybe he had said something wrong, but he didn't think so. Did he offend her in some way?

"As long as you're sure."

He blinked, not expecting a reply of that sort.

"So what are you studying at the university?"

They chatted back and forth about school, tennis, and new movies coming out, but his heart wasn't in it. She looked troubled by something, but she didn't say what it was. Had Risa really changed that much? Had the happy girl he knew from years ago matured into an ordinary woman? Akaya had hoped not, but it seemed as if she had.

"Come by tomorrow. I have something to show you!" Her eyes lit up into two bright clear pools with a silvery gleam. They reminded him of the pure happiness that she held when he first met her. He anxiously wondered if she could notice his distractedness or if she merely chose not to comment on it.

"Sure." A grin plastered his face as she pressed her soft body against his tone one in a quick hug before she departed. A small duo awaited his friend as she smiled at him once more with a good bye.

The next morning Akaya woke up early. The sun wasn't up yet, but his heart felt lighter than it had in years. As he showered and ate breakfast the silly grin from the day before appeared on his face. Risa's body had been soft as she hugged him. Her hair smelt of lavender mixed with the cherry blossom perfume she sprayed. If only he had held onto her longer...

A light reflected into his eyes and he followed the blinding beam until he found the source. Smacking himself on the forehead for his near stupidity, Akaya picked up the gift he had bought for Risa out of the bag and held it in the light. He admired the piece for a long moment before setting it down on the table next to his wallet.

Checking the time, Akaya decided that it wasn't too early to meet with Risa. The walk from his apartment to Risa's house was only thirty minutes and he didn't once mind the cool air that nipped at his exposed ears and nose. No, his body was light and warm with thoughts of Risa clouding his head.

As he reached the single-story home, Akaya could hear voices drifting faintly from outside of the front door. He stopped along the edge of the lining bushes at the end of the corner and hid his presence so as to not disturb whoever was talking. What surprised him most was when he heard Risa's voice along with another male's. He peaked around the edge of the large shrub to watch the conversation.

"I appreciate this, you know." Her voice was quiet and grateful. The normally loose locks were pulled back into a sleek knot with a single strand hanging loose.

"You better. You know how I feel about these things." The boy, younger than him, with dark brown shaggy hair brushed the strand back away from her face.

Risa frowned and pouted lightly. "I've known him twice as long as you. He's a good friend."

"You haven't seen him in how many years? How do you know what he's really like?" The boy countered, lightly brushing her cheek with his thumb.

Risa's frown turned into a harsh glare at his accusation. "I know a lot about him. Don't insult my friend."

Akaya's stone body seemed to have been overtaken by climate and froze. His heart beat painfully at his chest when she spoke the word _friend._ He couldn't understand why he would be upset at being called her friend. He is her friend, so why did it hurt so much?

He watched painfully as the man smooth-talked his way through the rest of the conversation, allowing Risa to warm up and forgive him. Akaya's frozen body started to thaw as raw anger poured out of his eyes. He wanted to run up there and tear the boy away from Risa. No one should be able to talk to her like that, touch her in that way, or...

Akaya blinked in realization at what he was thinking. _He_ wanted to be the one to do those things with her. _He_ wanted to be the one she could rely on. All this anger was because he was too late to comprehend all of these feelings he felt for her and do anything about them.

Risa was the girl he met at the restaurant by the train station on Christmas Eve. She was in grade six at the time and nowhere near Akaya's age. At least that's what he thought. Looking at her now, he realized that four years isn't a lot of time between them. If anything, they had a connection since the day they met.

Akaya turns his head to look around the bush when he doesn't hear anyone talking. His body becomes heavy and his breathing slows along with his heart clenching painfully. The scene was a little much for him to handle with his newly realized feelings. His hand tightened around the gift he brought with him before he lost his grip and the piece fell to the snowy ground.

As he walked away from the kissing couple a single hot tear trailed down his right cheek. He ignored the calls of his name and made quick long strides down the sidewalk before crossing the street to turn the corner. He missed his chance with her and he'll have to live with that. Even if he wasn't happy, she was and that's what mattered.

This Christmas was the first one that Kirihara Akaya was truly all alone.


	3. Akaya pt 3

**Akaya Christmas Fic Part 3, The Last and Final Installment**

Christmas this year crept slowly upon him. He wasn't aware that the seasons had changed again and that he should be seeking warmth. No, Akaya was numb to everything. He had embraced the cold for it served to provide the only comfort for his burning heart.

"You should try this Christmas pudding, Akaya! You're missing out!" Marui called from across the room at the dessert table.

Akaya glanced in his direction and seemingly looked at his surroundings for the first time. The room was large and covered in elegant paintings and furniture. It seemed familiar in a way.

"It's a party, Akaya! Either you enjoy yourself or I make you," Niou threatened from behind his right shoulder.

Akaya didn't so much as flinch from Niou's sudden appearance. He did, however, finally connect the dots. He was at Niou's mansion and attending the Christmas party that he threw for the whole team. Everyone was here along with quite a few others.

Kirihara Akaya wasn't alone for Christmas this year.

"Niou-kun, don't tease Akaya." A voice said as a large hand clapped down on Akaya's shoulder.

"Who said I was teasing, Jackal?"

Jackal sighed as Niou became bored with Akaya and left to prey on other unsuspecting attendees. He looked down at Akaya and managed to get a hold of his attention. Jackal could clearly see the thick black bags lining Akaya's eyes. He looked exhausted and Jackal wondered how he could keep acing all of his classes in this condition. As far as he knew Akaya only ate, went to class, studied, and played video games. He supposed he slept at times, but it sure didn't look like it.

"Try to have some fun." Akaya blinked his tired eyes slowly at Jackal's retreating form. Have fun? He didn't know the meaning of fun anymore because it involved happiness. He was never happy. Not since that day last year when-

Akaya shook his head forcefully and became dizzy. Perhaps he should've drunken something before he came. His stomach growled in accordance and he scowled at the offending organ. Slowly, he made his way over to the dessert table where Marui was finishing up stuffing his face with pudding.

"About time you stopped moping over there." It was a tease, but Akaya kept his stoic mask in place. He studied Marui's grinning face intensively, wondering how he could be that happy over anything. Didn't he ever have a bad day? Didn't he ever have his heart broken? Didn't-

"Excuse me." A quiet, polite voice next to him broke his thoughts. He glanced at her quickly out of the corner of his eye before whipping back his head to look at her fully. He had thought he had seen a flash of gray. Her hair was black, but not the right shade. When she tilted her head towards him he saw that she had green eyes; not even close to gray.

Akaya sighed heavily and held his head in one hand as he walked away from the dessert table to sit at an empty table. He was going crazy. Everywhere he looked he thought he saw _her_. Every girl who held the slightest resemblance looked like _her._ Even in his dreams he found _her_. This was why he wouldn't sleep or ever go out. He could barely keep _her_ out of his thoughts.

The chair next to him slid out from under the table. Akaya didn't pay the visitor any mind as he sat there with his head in his hand and both eyes closed. Both of them sat there for awhile, neither of them breaking the silence.

"You should talk about it. It might help."

Everyone knew when they came back from winter break last year that something had happened to Akaya. He had an air of anguish about him and his condition seemed to unnoticeably worsen. The team had thought that if they had given him time he would bounce back, by Akaya never did. He wouldn't go out any more and seemed to spend all of his time locked up in his apartment alone. They had to literally drag him out by his feet to get him to the party.

"There's only one thing that could help," Akaya muttered. Yagyuu leaned in closer, surprised that his friend had even responded at all. "Take away that day."

Yagyuu leaned back and frowned. That was not what he had been expecting. It seemed as if his condition was even worse than he thought. Perhaps the problem was a girl. His family seemed to be doing well, he was top of his class this whole year, and no one on the team seemed to know what his depression had to do with. The logical conclusion was depression from heartbreak.

"That's impossible, Akaya."

Yagyuu looked over at Yanagi in surprise. "Yanagi-" His friend shook his head and Yagyuu stopped mid-sentence, allowing his friend to speak.

"I know," Akaya muttered, seemingly unperturbed.

"There's a sixty-seven percent chance that she could be at this party tonight," Yanagi told him offhandedly.

Akaya stood up abruptly and looked around the room quickly. "I'm going home."

Yagyuu smirked at Akaya's antics. "Sanada and Yukimura will be pissed that you didn't talk to them."

Yanagi nodded. "There's a seventy-seven percent chance of that happening."

Akaya shrugged and made long strides to the door, cutting across the middle of the dance floor. People stopped and allowed him to pass through before continuing on with their dance. Once he reached the door Akaya didn't pause as he pushed through. As he leaned against the double-wide oak doors he swore that he heard someone calling his name. He wanted to know who it was, but the desire to get home was too strong. He didn't want to risk seeing _her_ here with someone else.

Akaya spent the night alone in his apartment. There wasn't any studying he could do to occupy his mind and he already defeated the newest fighting game six times. If it weren't for the dreams he had during the night he would sleep, but he couldn't bear to live through them again. He forced himself to stare mindlessly at the ceiling of hours as he lay on his bed. It wasn't until the sound of knocking on his door did he finally stir from his position.

After quickly stretching his stiff muscles he lethargically made his way to the front door. The only people who bothered to visit him any more were Marui and Niou. Perhaps Niou had finally decided to take revenge upon him for his cold demeanor last night. Marui didn't seem to have particularly cared about his gloomy mood, but he might've wanted to drop by to spend time away from his eccentric brothers.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Akaya asked grumpily as he shut his eyes in the bright sunlight and started to rub the sleep out of the right one.

"Merry Christmas, Akaya-kun."

That voice. Akaya snapped open his eyes and stared at the person in front of him. Her midnight hair was longer than it was the year before and brushed against the doorframe lightly in the wind. Her bangs brushed against her cheeks that were sprinkled with the light pink blush he first met her with. Her lips were spread in a small smile and when his eyes finally reached her clear gray ones his heart clenched painfully.

_ She_ was here.

After so many months of trying to avoid seeing her, let alone thinking about her, she was finally here on his doorstep. He felt frozen as his eyes wouldn't comply with his demand to pull away from hers. He felt as if he did then she would disappear altogether. However, the elation of her arrival was squashed when the painful memories resurrected.

"May I come in?" She asked politely. Akaya didn't trust his voice, so he opted to nod instead. She hesitated on the first step, as if making sure he wouldn't change his mind, but when he stepped back a little more to allow her room, she entered his apartment more confidently.

Taking off her heavy winter coat, she sat down on the tan sofa as Akaya took the loveseat across from her. She eyed the room silently before settling her gaze back onto him. He couldn't fathom why she would be here, much less how she actually knew how to get here. Yet, he remained silent, allowing her to make the first move.

"You look terrible." She frowned and pushed a stray bang that fell into her eye. "Have you been sleeping at all? You look like you barely eat at all!"

She was worried about him. Akaya could tell that she wasn't berating him, but expressing her concerns about him. He wasn't dumb. She wouldn't be here right now to just check up on his health.

"Why." His single question was pronounced like a command and accompanied by a low frown.

She fidgeted slightly, pulling at the mid-thigh black skirt she wore over her leggings. "I saw you last night. At Niou's party."

Akaya blinked slowly, as if remembering a far away memory.

"It was only when you left. I called out to you, but you seemed like you were in a hurry." She paused to gauge his reaction, but Akaya kept his stoic mask perfectly in place. Undeterred, she continued. "You're teammates cornered me after that. They told me how you've been depressed all year and told me where to find you."

Ah, so that's how she found him and why she was here. His teammates sent her. She wasn't here of her own volition.

"You've been avoiding me all year and I've been worried about you. Please, Akaya-kun, tell me what's wrong." She leaned forward with her hands on her knees and stared at him with pleading eyes.

"You already know." He scowled and looked away from her surprised expression. Those words tasted bitter in his mouth, but he knew they were the truth. She didn't need him anymore. He wanted to be more than friends, but she had someone else already. He was too late and they both knew it.

"You saw us that day, didn't you?" She seemed to already know the answer to the question. Akaya stayed silent, still scowling intently at his navy carpeted floor. "I never wanted you to see that," she confessed.

His scowl lessened and his stoic mask regained its position. Looking at her he could visibly see the struggle she was dealing with. His heart panged lightly against his chest as he watched her find the right words to say.

"My brother finally returned." His stoic mask finally broke as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Her brother had been gone for nearly a decade now and to have returned... "He had only been home for a month when I invited you over. I wanted you to meet him."

Her voice wavered and tears started to form in her eyes, but she wiped them away before any could fall. "I... I told him I didn't want him to come. I told him to trust me, but he just didn't listen. I never wanted you to see us together. I'm sorry, Akaya-kun."

He frowned lightly and his body started to move toward the upset girl. "Risa..."

"Don't!" She snapped, looking up at him sharply. "Why? Why do you call me that, Akaya-kun?"

His frowned deepened as his eyes squinted at her. "That's your name."

"You've always called me 'Risa-chan'. Always," she whispered painfully, holding her hands close to her chest.

"It's because I wanted us to be closer." His voice was quiet as he left to words to hang in the air. His eyes gauged her reaction, but it wasn't what he expected.

"You idiot," she chuckled allowing a few tears to drop. "That doesn't matter. You could have said something. You could've _told_ me. When I ran after you I found _this_." She pulled up the sleeve of her maroon shirt to show him what she had been hiding from him.

Akaya moved closer to Risa to inspect the item. He reached out with nervous fingers to touch the cool silver chain of the bracelet. His fingertips then grazed over each charm: the tennis ball, the A, the R, and finally the racquet. It was the exact gift that he had customized and bought her just the year before. The same gift he let slip through his fingers and disappear into the snow as he ran away from the first girl he loved.

"How..."

"I tried to find you. I really did, but you just... disappeared. I found this outside of my house and I realized..." She took his cold hands into her warm ones and looked straight into his eyes. "I realized just how much it hurt to see you leave. I realized just how much I wanted you with me. I realized..."

She leaned in closer to him and let her lips brush against his for a quick, chaste kiss. "...That I love you."

His heart started beating rapidly as he let the words play over and over in his mind. She loved him. Him. Not some other guy, but him. Kirihara Akaya.

His tongue flicked over his lips and he could still taste the strawberry flavored lip gloss she was wearing. "I think... I love you too, Risa-chan."

She smiled at him, knowing that after all of this time they finally had a chance. Even if they still didn't work out at least they tried. But somewhere, deep inside of each of them, they knew that it would work out. After all of these years they still found a way into the other's heart.

It didn't matter that this wasn't the best Christmas ever. There would be many great Christmases to spend with Risa-chan. What matter to Akaya most was that he would never be alone for Christmas again and that would make this one the perfect Christmas.

**A/N: **Originally, this wasn't a three-shot. However, by popular demand and plot bunnies I made it into one. After this chapter continues my original three-shot. So, if you loved the first chapter and wanted to leave it at friendship then feel free to disregard these last two chapters.


	4. Sanada

Sanada

Stuffy. This whole party is stuffy, extravagant, boring, hot, and the list goes on. More than anything, he's tired of being here. The only reason he agreed to attend in the first place is because his best friend blackmailed him into it.

"Gen-san, you really need to lighten up a bit," Yukimura tells him as he hands him a glass of, what he supposed is, apple cider.

"Seiichi, we've been here for a good two hours. I think I've fulfilled my quota," he grumpily says. His best friend takes no notice of his comment and brushes a few stray locks of blue out of his eyes.

"There are plenty of cute girls, food, and drinks, but you'd rather be at the dojo teaching kendo," Yukimura responds bitterly.

Sanada sighs. "This is not my thing, Seiichi, and I'm only here because you bribed the whole team into coming to Atobe's holiday party and blackmailed me by threatening to show my parents that ridiculous photo. How did you manage to get your hands on it?"

Yukimura chuckles quietly. "Which one? The time a girl fell down the stairs and landed on top of you or the Halloween party where the punch was spiked or-"

"Enough," he grumbles while rubbing his temples, "I don't even want to hear them. Just go have fun and don't worry about me."

Yukimura smiles at his friend, knowing that this was the most he could ask him for. "I see a cute brunette by the desert table, so I'll leave you to your brooding." As he leaves, Sanada translates that into the real meaning: 'Thanks for coming. I'll pretend I didn't see you leave.'

He sighs heavily before navigating his way through the luxurious ballroom. He passes a few couples dancing, takes a left at the giant Christmas tree ice sculpture, and heads straight through the double doors. Recalling that he turned right to enter the ballroom, he takes a left and follows the long hallway out to the reception area.

A butler asks for his name before easily finding his jacket and Sanada thanks him. Quickly putting it on, he hurriedly passes through another set of double doors before entering the lobby where two more giant glass doors signify the entrance into the mansion. When he passes through them to brave the cold, he can't help but feel that he went through a lot of trouble to just exit the house. Perhaps Atobe should invest in a smaller home to prevent unnecessary headaches and confusion.

The wind strikes his face harshly as he pulls up the hood of his heavy winter jacket. Thankfully, the fleece keeps the rest of his body warm as his face takes the most damage from the cold. His shoes crunch on top of the freshly fallen snow as he trudges down the long driveway. Again, Sanada can't help but feel that the size of the property is more troublesome than it's worth.

As he nears the end of the driveway a small curse drifts up to his ears. Wondering who would be out here aside from him, he jogs the rest of the way to find the individual. Looking to his right he sees him crouched down on the edge of the street looking over his ankle which is slowly turning purple from the red tinged around it.

"Are you alright?" Sanada asks him from his position a few feet away.

The boy looks up sharply at the sound of his deep voice and stares at him with wide violet eyes. His face is tinged pink, which Sanada assumes is from the wind. From the looks of his clothing he didn't come from Atobe's party since he's wearing heavy sweats, sneakers, and a thick jacket.

"No. I think my ankle's dislocated," he replies, only for Sanada to realize that the boy's pitch is too high for him to be male.

"Let me help you up," Sanada says while bending down on one knee, quickly trying to appear more concerned and helpful. If the girl was male, like he had first thought, he wouldn't have tried to do anything more than make sure he wouldn't be in danger. Now that he knows the individual is female, Sanada must fulfill the role of being a perfect gentleman.

"I can stand on my own," she says quietly, bending one leg beneath her and standing up fully. She wobbles slightly and Sanada reaches out to catch her elbow and steady her. "Thanks," she whispers it to him politely.

"What are you doing out here?" He asks, wondering why a girl is out at night, alone, and dressed like a man.

"I was training," she says simply, not letting on to what she's training for.

Sanada decides to avoid to topic for now, seeing as he shouldn't stick his nose into others' business. "Would you like me to call someone?" He asks instead, hoping to send the girl home with someone she knows, so he wouldn't be responsible for her any longer.

"Heh," she laughs bitterly. "No one will answer."

Sanada frowns at her bitterness. Does she mean that no one will answer if she calls or that no one would care if they answer? He's about to ask if he should call her a cab when her eyes flash at him irritably.

"You can drop the concerned gentleman act; I'll be fine walking home by myself. Good night," she tells him politely with that same tone of bitterness and Sanada wonders how is it that she can still sound so polite when she's so bitter.

He watches her hobble awkwardly on her ankle as she stubbornly walks away from him. It's irritating to see a person like her act like that, but her personality intrigued him. She's polite, but bitter. She doesn't seem to trust anyone, so she rejects help. When she receives help when it's warranted she's thankful though. Just how could she see through his act though?

Now, Sanada is irritated with himself. He shouldn't care about the girl and her problems, but he does. He sees how she's floundering and he's the only person able to help her. If anything he should apologize for the way he acted. Yes, he would apologize and help her home, regardless if she thanks him for it or not. With a short jog, he easily catches up to her and throws an arm around her waist to keep her steady.

"I don't need your help," she tells him irritably, but she made no move to remove the arm around her.

"No, but you'll make it home much faster if I do," he explains quietly, not bothering to respond to the glare she's sending him, opting to just ignore it.

After a few minutes though, Sanada hears a small "Thank you," from her. He smiles inwardly, pleased.

"I apologize for my behavior from before," he breaks the silence. "I shouldn't have acted that way, even though I was only trying to be polite. I'm sorry for offending you."

A short silence occurs again before the girl next to him giggles suddenly. Sanada looks at her, puzzled by the sudden change in personality. When he looks at her with a frown, she smiles softly at him before explaining. "Sorry, I'm just not used to this. No one has ever apologized to me for being polite. Really, I should apologize for being so stubborn and rude. You were only trying to help, but I'm not especially accepting to help from anyone."

"Aa," Sanada accepts her explanation and apology. Maybe there is a reason for her bitterness after all.

"I'm training for a tournament in January," she tells him as they pass the mansion on the corner of the street and cross the road to smaller developments. "It's a mixed martial arts tournament for women and I want to be in top condition."

His eyebrows rise in surprise at her sudden reveal. He didn't expect her to be a martial artist, but it does explain why she was training late at night in the cold. It's not generally a female sport, but she seems determined to do her best to win. It reminds him of, well, him.

"I practice kendo," he tells her, surprising even himself at his divulgence.

"Oh, then I know you'll be pleasantly surprised," she says before stopping at a gate. "We're here."

He nods and helps her hop up the steps. Looking around he can tell that her family is wealthy, but doesn't flaunt it like Atobe. The two-story house is a decent size, traditional, and has a slight modern touch. Happy with the practicality of the family, he allows the girl to lead him inside while saying a quiet pardon.

"Come sit down," she gestures from the spot on the couch a few feet away from the foyer. With a twitch of his lips, he makes his way over to the couch while wondering how she got there so fast.

"Won't your parents mind having a stranger in the house?" He asks, slightly nervous at the quietness of the estate.

Lowering her hood, raven locks spill down her back as she brushes the snow off of her jacket. "It's just me. My parents are away on business with my younger brother," she explains.

Immediately Sanada translates that into 'My parents chose my brother to carry on the family business, so they could care less about me'. "There's no one else?" He sincerely thought that her family would have maids, butlers, cooks, and such.

She huffs at his question. "There are others, but... I sort of sent them home early to be with their families. I can take care of myself," she says while glaring at the space between his feet on the floor.

"I see. So where are the medical supplies?" He asks while standing up.

She looks at him confused while pointing to an adjacent hallway. "In the bathroom, second door on the right."

Quickly he leaves and returns with the kit. Taking a pillow from the couch, he props up her foot and gently removes her shoe. The girl stirs uncomfortably.

"You don't have to do this," she states, her voice wavering.

"I know," he responds lightly as he carefully sets her bones into place with a small pop. He's surprised that she didn't scream or cry. Maybe she really is different.

"You do all of this for me and I don't even know your name," she whispers, looking away from him at a wall full of pictures.

"Sanada Genichirou," he tells her dully with a small smirk.

She looks at him from the corner of her eye and says, "Wakanari Emiko." Turning to him fully she smiles at him. "I guess we're not strangers any more are we? Anyway, you don't seem to be the type of person to attend Atobe's parties," she eyes him suspiciously.

Sanada sighs. "No, but my best friend is. He dragged me to it along with the rest of our tennis team."

Emiko becomes more interested as she leans forward on one knee. "I don't suppose you're from the Rikkai Dai team, are you?"

"Yes, I'm the vice-captain with my best friend, Yukimura Seiichi, being captain," he tells her easily.

"Oh? How interesting. Your team holds a big reputation. Is this your last year playing?" She asks him, sincerely interested as her eyes sparkle with admiration.

"Yes it is, but I'll continue to play whenever I'm able to. What about you?" He spins the question back to Emiko.

"Me? What about me?" She inquires with a small smirk.

"You said you compete in mixed martial arts tournaments, so what's it like?" He expounds the question.

"Hmm... well my father made me start when I was five, since every heir must learn how to protect themselves, but I continued because I love it. I never had the chance to attend public school, so I used the art to my advantage," she explains while her eyes drift over to the hallway furthest from the room. "If you'd like, I could show you."

Nodding, Sanada helps Emiko up from the couch and follows her down the long hallway with only a single door at the end.

"This," she says as she opens the door, "is my life."

The floor is covered with mats and a few punching bags are off to the side. Aligning the walls are trophies and photos of Emiko in her martial arts uniform. In the farthest corner of the room is a small black futon that's neatly made along with a rack of various sheathed katanas.

"Do you collect swords?" He asks, eyes lingering over the intricately designed sheathes.

"Not exactly," she responds as she walks farther into the room. "I use them for practice."

Sanada is once again surprised. "You practice... with real swords?"

"Uh-huh," she replies absently while looking them over from afar. "You said that you practice kendo, right? How about you spar with me one day?"

This girl just doesn't know when to stop surprising him. "Why?"

She turns around to study him thoughtfully. "I like you, so isn't that reason enough?"

Not giving him any chance to respond, she closes the door and leads him out to the foyer where the large Christmas tree stands all lit up. Fidgeting slightly, she looks up at him with nervous eyes. "If you don't want to come back, I won't be offended. I've never had a friend before, so it won't bother me now. I just wish..."

Sanada feels a weight in his chest as he watches the strong, stubborn girl before him waver, what she said bothering him but he leaves it be, thinking that it was too personal of a topic. "You don't need to worry," he tells her quietly.

Blinking the tears back, she grins up at him. "Thank you," her quiet voice becomes stronger, "for everything, but especially for the best Christmas ever."

Sanada's lips twitch upwards in the closest thing to a smile he can. Emiko reminds him so much of himself, but she's endured many hardships while keeping a smile on. Maybe he can afford to let people in as well; starting with her.

Checking the time on his watch, he turns to her with the small smile."Merry Christmas, Emiko-san," he wishes her as he steps onto her front porch.

"You too, Gen-san."


	5. Tezuka

Tezuka x OC

Tezuka sighed as he glared at the 'Closed' sign on the door. It seemed like everyone was closing up early on Christmas Eve so they could go and be with their families. His family was all the way back in Japan while he's stuck in Germany. His flight earlier that day was cancelled, so now he's staying in a hotel downtown in hopes to catch a flight in the morning.

Still, Tezuka was irritated that all of the indoor tennis courts were closed so he couldn't even do anything to pass the time. The courts outside were covered in ice and snow so he wouldn't be able to play anyhow. It seemed as if the world had conspired against him in an effort to keep him from practicing.

With one last glance at the empty building, Tezuka forced himself to move from his spot to walk towards the park. Even if the courts were iced over he could still enjoy the peace that the area would give him. Surely everyone would be indoors enjoying the night's festivities with their families.

"Careful girly, I just might bite back," a rough voice threatens from the alley Tezuka was about to pass.

… He did say _surely._

"Try it!" The girl's voice snarled as she struggled in the man's grip.

"Come now, it's Christmas Eve so you should spread the love," the man whispered creepily as he leaned closer to the girl.

Tezuka stepped closer to see that the man was scruffy, possibly drunk, and more than twice the age of the girl he was holding up by her throat. The girl was probably around his age with blonde hair and she wore a light blue winter coat with a white scarf. He looked at it for a few more seconds before he had had enough of the man's gruesome antics. He quickly made his way to them.

"Back off," he threatened as he stood protectively in front of the panting girl.

The man grinned maniacally, unperturbed by the interruption. "Now now, we can share," the man with beady black eyes suggested which boiled Tezuka's blood,.

"Leave," he said calmly while his eyes burned with hatred toward the middle-aged drunk.

Without another word and only one hateful look, the man scurried off and Tezuka turned towards the girl who was standing behind him. She opened her eyes to reveal a hazel color which surprised him. He had expected a blue color, much like other Germans in this area.

"Thank you for saving me," she said in English.

It was then that Tezuka realized that she wasn't German. "Aa. Are you American?" He asked, also in English.

She blinked, surprised that he had deduced that so quickly. Smiling, she told him, "Yes. I take it that you're not German either."

"Yes, I'm Japanese," he replied while he looked over the injuries she sustained from the attack. "Does your neck feel alright?"

Surprised again, she touched her neck. "I think I'll be fine. It's probably just some bruising."

"Aa," he replied, allowing her to lead him out of the alley.

She turned to her savior and stuck her hand out. "I'm Amelia Koshner," she introduced herself.

"Kunimitsu Tezuka," he said as he shook her hand.

She smiled thoughtfully. "Kunimitsu... What a cute name!" She blushed lightly upon realizing that she had said it out loud. "Oh! I hope I didn't offend you," she looked at him worriedly, but he shook his head no and his heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him again.

"Good," she breathed as she led him down the road towards the park. "Would you like some coffee or anything?" She asked as they briefly stood outside of a vendor stall.

He politely declined with a shake of his head, but she ordered two coffees anyway.

"Just in case you change your mind," she told him before sipping out of one of the cups.

They walked further into the park and sat on a bench overlooking the frozen pond. All of the trees and grass had snow covering it and he couldn't help but compare it to a winter wonderland. In Japan, they didn't have these kinds of trees and Tezuka would miss these moments.

"So, why are you out all alone on Christmas Eve?" She asked him before taking another sip of her coffee. Tezuka only replied with a small stare that said 'Why don't you tell me why you are'.

"Oh don't give me that crap," she irritably replied. "If you won't tell me then why should I tell you?"

He sighed, instantly reminded of Kikumaru and his childish antics. Although this girl was more mature than his teammate he couldn't help but give in. "My flight was cancelled."

Amelia's eyes widened in surprise. "The flight back to Japan? I suppose that's possible with all of the hale we've been getting recently. Were your friends and family upset?"

Tezuka's eyes widened at a fraction. This girl was worried about his friends and family without even knowing them. Would she be concerned if she knew he was living alone in Germany as well?

"They're fine," he replied dully and she pouted.

"My family would be freaking out if I was stuck in a country without anyone I knew," she told him, annoyed. "But when they're here with me, they don't seem to care what I do," she mumbled sadly.

Tezuka frowned at his companion next to him. Family should always care about you, no matter where you are. Sometimes his teammates worry about him enough for his family ten times over. He idly wondered what Inui's data would be on that.

"Oh, they love and care about me," she quickly explained at seeing Tezuka's frown. "But sometimes they just don't understand me and I need to get away. Like today for instance, I told them I would be staying at a friend's house. They don't know I don't have any friends yet, because we just moved here two months ago."

Tezuka was surprised that she was purposefully out here alone. What was she thinking? She had nowhere to go for the night and still decided to come out here anyway! His thoughts stopped when he heard her speak again.

"Kunimitsu," she whispered quietly. "Am I such a pathetic person to not have any friends?"

He frowned down at her. She wasn't pathetic; just lonely. He was in the same position as her once before and now he felt drawn to her. What was it that made him stay even though he could've left at any point? Was it because she was attacked? Did he feel a responsibility? Or was it because his heart was telling him to?

"No," he silently told her with a single look.

"Maybe I don't need friends," she decided.

"Everyone needs friends, but sometimes... we need a little more than that," he reassured her. Again, his heart beat raced when she looked at him and smiled.

"How much is a little more?" She asked as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Saa," he said while his lips turned up in the corners. His eyes conveyed to her what he couldn't speak: 'We could find out'.

Her smiled widened as she handed him the extra coffee and wordlessly said, 'Let's start with this'.

Both of them felt their hearts beat at a fast, but steady pace as they talked quietly throughout the night, not minding the cold one bit. When they departed, with the promise of meeting once again when Tezuka returned, they both thought that this year was the best Christmas ever.


End file.
